Congress urged to swiftly reauthorize Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act

Former assistant secretary for preparedness Craig Vanderwagen and former Senate staffer Jennifer Alton argue that the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act needs prompt reauthorization. They note that the Trump administration preserved the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and nominated a new assistant secretary to lead the agency.

ASPR, housed within HHS, coordinates the nation’s medical and public health response to biological threats, natural disasters, and other health emergencies, yet it remains largely unknown to the public.

The authors call on Congress to confirm the administration’s nominee quickly and to renew the PAHPA law, arguing that doing so will sustain the momentum in strengthening national health security before the next emergency arrives.